Child Life Specialist (CCLS)
Salary

Women account for the majority of Child Life Specialists in the United States. The entire group has an average salary of $40K annually. The bottom of the pay range sits near $30K, and the top verges on $54K per year. Experience level is the biggest factor affecting pay for this group, followed by geography. Nearly all enjoy medical while a strong majority get dental coverage. Vision coverage is also available to the greater part. Most workers in this position report high levels of job satisfaction. Participants in PayScale's salary questionnaire provided the particulars of this report.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

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Job Description for Child Life Specialist (CCLS)

A child life specialist (CCLS) works in a hospital and assesses child patients case-by-case, usually in-patient children and those with serious illnesses. These specialists assess what effects an illness and hospitalization have on pediatric patients and their families, and plans are then made in order to help cope, taking into consideration the personality and medical needs of each individual patient.

It is important for child life specialists to be professional, yet compassionate toward patients and their families, and emotional support may need to be provided at crucial times. Stress-reduction techniques may also be introduced to patients. Some specialists may work with the medical providers of patients to ensure the best-possible care, or help provide opportunities for children to play based on their needs and abilities. It may also be necessary to provide community references to the families of patients.

Ongoing evaluations should be conducted in order to modify individual plans, and record-keeping skills are essential in order to document the activities and interventions provided to patients. Child life specialists may be given budgets which must be met, so supplies and services should stay within this scope. They may also work with volunteers who can provide services to children. Usually, a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and certification as a child specialist are required for this position, and some employers may prefer those who have a master's degree.

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Pay by Experience Level for Child Life Specialist (CCLS)

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

In general, experience and pay appear to be strongly linked; those with more experience usually bring in higher incomes. People who have worked for fewer than five years earn around $38K, and folks with five to 10 years of experience see a modestly higher median of $41K. Child Life Specialists claiming one to two decades of experience make an estimated median of $52K. Seasoned workers who boast more than two decades of relevant experience enjoy a median salary of $64K, which is substantially larger than the medians reported by folks with fewer years on their resumes.